POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.object-collection : My recent updates : My recent updates Server Time
26 Apr 2024 20:27:11 EDT (-0400)
  My recent updates  
From: Cousin Ricky
Date: 12 Oct 2014 19:20:01
Message: <web.543b0ad4296e2627192ae5f10@news.povray.org>
With no quarterly reports in 5 years and very little feedback from the users, I
thought I'd mention what I've been up to.

2013 June 15 - RoundEdge 1.3
 - Blob-related functions are given more intuitive names.
 - Important notes are added to the documentation concerning sqrt()
   calls with the alternate isosurface blob function, and the demo
   scene is changed accordingly.
 - The missing illustrations have been added to the Collection.

2013 July 22 - SphereSweep 1.0
 - The sphere_sweep primitive is prone to artifacts.  This module gives
   various workarounds.

2013 September 6 - RC3Metal 1.2
 - I added a macro to coordinate specular highlights with brilliance.
   It gives good results.

2013 December 23 - Caption 1.0
 - Annotations are sometimes hard to read over a busy scene.  With this
   module you can easily add legible captions to such scenes.

2014 January 10 - Spectrum 4.0
 - This module creates calibrated color maps and pigments of the visible
   spectrum.
 - The initial public version is 4.0.  You have seen output from earlier
   versions in my p.b.i postings, but due to copyright restrictions, the
   source code for those versions shall remain forever private.

2014 October 5 - AndroidRobot 2.2
 - The arms are now separated from the body, as in the 2-D logo.

2014 October 9 - TiltedTorus 2.0
 - A long overdue lathe version is added.

Planned updates:

  BeamTest
   - Why didn't I think of using the orthographic camera way back in
     2007?
   - Add a parameter to better accommodate Ive's SpectralRender and (if
     it is as seamless as I hope) CLipka's spectral patch.  (The current
     version of BeamTest can be used as-is with SpectralRender, but the
     environmental lighting looks terrible.)

  CoffeeMug
   - In 2008 when I first submitted this, I had not yet discovered the
     cylindrical warp.  I can probably use it for more elaborate mug
     textures without having the user resort to the Labeller module.

  RC3Metal
   - Derive updated metal colors from analysis of digital photos.  I
     believe I have a system to compensate for environment biases.  At
     this time I have no idea where I will get gold, silver, and bronze
     specimens.

  RoundEdge
   - The module already includes elliptical toroids in mesh form, but
     an isosurface function or two is still a dream of mine.  I have
     formulas by Nicholas George, Sebastian H., and myself, but I'm not
     satisfied with any of them.  Nicholas' formula doesn't yield the
     correct shape.  Sebastian's formula may be correct--it yields a
     shape that is virtually satisfactory--but I haven't vetted his
     math, and the max_gradient is a nightmare.  My own formula was a
     hack that I used for one project, but it is certainly not library
     quality.

  SphereSweep

   - Enable gradient textures along the sweep, most likely concurrent
     with a mesh version.

I also have several brand new modules in development, and ideas for even more.


Post a reply to this message

Copyright 2003-2023 Persistence of Vision Raytracer Pty. Ltd.